


Special Agent

by helios_child



Category: Mo Dao Zu Shi, 陈情令 | The Untamed (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Spies & Secret Agents, M/M, MDZS but as the cia and they fight evil but with like guns :D, Slow Burn, and by slow burn i mean so much pining in the first fifteen chapters you kinda wanna die, as the author.....i feel the same way, first fic for MDZS so if characters are ooc i’m sorry djdjdj, i did way too much research and i haven’t even finished the first chapters, it’s a crack fic but no crack and isn’t funny djdjdj, junior QUARTET because ouyang zizhen is babie and deserves to be included, lan wangji being weirdly obvious about his feelings, matching pistols means they’re in love guys, no beta we die like men, okay so hanguangjun is basically dad to all of the juniors and it SHOWS, okay this is a WHOLE dumpster fire, the title sounds way cooler than it actually is, they’re just like :D hanguangjun and he’s just like i would stab anybody who hurts them, wei wuXian being an idiot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:34:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 16,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26386480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helios_child/pseuds/helios_child
Summary: Especially when he was looking at me with those eyes and suddenly I’m 16 years old and Lan Zhan had just pinned me to the smelly training room mats. I’m still thinking the same thing I thought all those years ago: “You’re really great. I like you. Or in other words, I fancy you, I love you, I want you, I can’t leave you, I whatever you.”Wei Wuxian, after being suspended from the agency for 16 years, has returned alongside his partner Lan Zhan and they work together to do right in the world.
Relationships: Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji
Comments: 3
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!!! so this my first published fic and it’s for my new obsession MDZS lol. this came from me seeing detective AU art and idk,,, i just kind of went wild with it. i literally have like five pages of notes just on how the agency works and who has what weapon,,,if only that was my outline. anywho i hope y’all enjoy the first chapter of many!! i’m always open to criticism so leave as many questions, comments or concerns as you want!! drink water, stay healthy, and stay happy!! love y’all

“We found a lead on Jin Guangyao.”

I choke on the cheap coffee we bought at the 24-hour cafe we’re currently in. As if the atmosphere wasn’t already suffocating, he had to say something like that out of nowhere? I would get it if we were back at the agency or even we were friends, but that was my life 16 years ago. I guess that’s Lan Zhan for you. Never changes, despite anything. He’s like a tree, unshaken by the wind. Or a stubborn mule. 

I clear my throat, but I can still feel the sting of coffee clinging onto the back of it. “That’s great for the agency but that has nothing to do with me anymore. How did you find my house? Isn’t that classified information?”

“It wasn’t classified for me. Being second-in-command for one of the branches lets you do a lot of things.”

“Wow, who would have thought that I would see the day where Lan Zhan would abuse his power? And for something so trivial and useless as finding where I live? I'm honored.” I wipe a fake tear from my eyes, but the look in his eyes makes me clear my throat again. “ Lan Zhan, did you really knock on my door at 2 in the morning and drag me to this cafe to tell me you have a _possibility_ of catching the man who has evaded you for the past 16 years?”

“Mn.” You know, I wish I could go back to the time where I couldn’t read him at all. Because I wouldn’t have to deal with the hope-filled look he’s giving me right now. Because I wouldn’t feel guilty, I wouldn’t be considering going back to the agency with him right at this very second. 

“Haven’t you read the Yiling Patriarch file? Hell, you were even there. Or did you forget what happened? The massacre that happened? Don’t worry, I have that whole file memorized.” I say with a wicked smile, even though it pains even me to say. But if it makes him leave, I’ll do anything.

“Wei Ying, don’t-”

“An absolute monstrosity of an occurrence, once bright and promising agent Wei Wuxian goes rogue. Caused by the death of his adoptive parents and sister in the raid by corrupt agents. The people killed in the Yiling Patriarch case were some of the before said corrupt agents. The problem lies in the many innocents who died in their crossfire. Wei Wuxian is no longer fit mentally to be an agent due to the deaths of those close to him. He is from this point suspended from his duties for whatever length the council decides or even for life.” I let out a deep sigh. “Heavy stuff, right? Imagine the look on Lan Qiren’s face if he sees you come back with me in tow. That would be hysterical, I’m pretty sure his goatee would fall off. Could you-”

“He’s not the head of the branch anymore but he agreed to this. Even the current branch heads agreed. They decided to lift your suspension to welcome you back to the agency as an operations agent and help with the capture of Jin Guangyao. You are one of the only people who will be able to carry this out. Wei Ying, the agency needs you. I need you. There’s no way I can do this without you by my side.” His ears turn red as he realizes what he says and he tries to compose himself. “So, what do you say? Will you climb out of that hole-in-the-wall apartment and come back to the agency?” It wasn’t as much a question, it was more of a plea. Especially when he was looking at me with those eyes and I’m 16 years old and Lan Zhan had pinned me to the smelly training room mats. I’m still thinking the same thing I thought all those years ago: “You’re really great. I like you. Or in other words, I fancy you, I love you, I want you, I can’t leave you, I whatever you.” 

I let out a long, weary sigh and stood. “Ugh, fine. But next time, bring me to a better cafe. I know it won’t hurt your pockets one bit. Now, please tell me they still have Chenqing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) to learn about the vibesssss of all the characters and sects/branches.  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons. it changes all the time so be prepared lol  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/) for anything at all!!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lan Zhan, you’re the only person I’ve had a full-length conversation with other than the old lady at the laundromat who always begs me for quarters and always asks if I’m single. No, Brenda, I wouldn’t be at a creepy laundromat at 3 am freaking out because I put a red shirt with my whites if I was in a relationship.” I slump against the wall thinking about the laundromat lady when what the rest of what Lan Zhan said sunk in. “Wait, what do you mean that you’ll make sure of it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again! so chapter two,,,i’ve decided to post four chapters in one night and see where the reactions take me for about a week or two. i already have about eight or nine chapters written so hopefully this will help me stay motivated! so in this chapter we meet sizhui, the sweetest of boys. what’s your favorite junior? it’s either zizhen or jingyi,,,,i always end up falling for the side characters sadly djdjdj. anyway i’ll see y’all in chapter three stay safe, stay happy, and stay healthy!! love y’all

“I forgot how scary the agency building can be because holy crap, I’m shaking. Lan Zhan, feel my hand. Feel how shaky it is.” I reach my hand out towards him but it gets ignored as he continues to walk towards the building, “Lan Zhan, wait for me!

“Mn.” He slows down his strides a bit but still moves fast. I don’t see how he can walk that fast and not be sweating out of his mind. He’s wearing a white trench coat over a crisp white shirt and slacks with dress shoes to match. He even had a tie! It’s the end of May and he’s wearing a trench coat with a tie. I mean, I get sticking to the brand but yikes. I’m in ripped jeans, a band shirt that hasn’t seen the light of day, and a leather jacket paired with sneakers to fit the whole “prodigal son has returned” vibe I’m going with today. The agency will force me into suits sooner or later. I should enjoy my freedom and delay it as much as possible.

Though the outside of the building hasn’t changed much, the inside was nothing like it used to be. It’s because I haven’t been back in almost two decades but I’m choosing to ignore that fact. Some things stayed the same, like the huge glass windows, the secretary desk in the middle of the lobby. And how can I forget the ever-present feeling of both despair and peace? It used to be my favorite thing in the world but now I’m the one who’s uncomfortable by it like I’m some new recruit. 

Lan Zhan and I reach the elevators, he presses the button for the 11th floor and uses his ID to make the elevator move. He steps back and turns his head in my direction without actually looking at me. “We’re going to the branch of support for you to get a polygraph test. And then we’ll get you a new ID and have you meet everybody in the building.” 

“What if I fail the polygraph test? Would yall like to burn me at the stake? Or is it more shooting squad type execution? I would prefer poison if I’m gonna go out. It’s painless and like if you mix it with some whiskey or something, I’m sure that it’ll slide down real easy.”

“Wei Ying, I know that you’re nervous but please don’t say such useless things. We both know that you won’t fail and even if you do, I don’t think there will be anything that extreme. I’ll make sure of it.” 

“Lan Zhan, you’re the only person I’ve had a full-length conversation with other than the old lady at the laundromat who always begs me for quarters and always asks if I’m single. No, Brenda, I wouldn’t be at a laundromat at 3 am freaking out because I put a red shirt with my whites if I was in a relationship.” I slump against the wall thinking about the laundromat lady when what the rest of what Lan Zhan said sunk in. “Wait, what do you mean that you’ll make sure of it?”

“We’re here.” The doors open at the absolute worst time and he steps out. 

“Lan Zhan, stop walking so fast!” ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Remind me to never get a polygraph test ever again. Dear God, that was terrible.” I crack the bones in my back and neck, feeling completely exhausted.

“We go through them every four years. You know this.” He says while he guides us through the branch of support, for the employees and staff of the agency, it’s the Gusu Lan Sect. All the branches have confidential names. They got named after the head so the names wouldn't stay the same forever. But after some time, the branches became more of a family trade so the public only knows the public names. It’s confusing like nothing else but that’s how it is in this business. The Lan Sect deals with the training of recruits as well as the business logistics and management of the agency. Although it’s only a branch of the agency, it oversees the other branches as an extension. 

But the one thing I appreciate about Lan Sect is their dedication to aesthetics. From the polygraph room to the cubicles, it's all light blue and white with cloud accents. It borders on looking part dentist's office or part kindergarten classroom but remains classy. 

“Don’t you think that’s such a short amount of time? How much can I change in four years?”

“You haven’t changed in 16 years, so I understand your discontent for them. But not everybody is like you. We’re about to enter the ID office.” He didn’t have to say anything because I saw the name on the door but I didn’t say anything so he wouldn’t feel embarrassed. He opens the door and the room is busy for a place where you take pictures. A young man approaches Lan Zhan.

“Hanguang-jun. You’re back! You must have-” He cut off as soon as he saw me behind Lan Zhan. “Ah! This must be him. Excuse me, I was so excited to see Hanguang-jun that I forgot my manners. My name is Lan Sizhui and you must be Young Master Wei. It’s very nice to meet.” He greets me with a slight bow of his. It’s easy to tell that he’s new to work at the agency but has been training for a while. He’s young, around the age I joined the agency. He has that youthful smile but there’s something in his eyes that’s different. I like him. 

“It’s very nice to meet you, Sizhui. And don’t worry, I don’t bite. Much, at least.” \

“Oh, I was never worried about that, Sir. Hanguang-jun, do you want me to take Young Master Wei for his ID?”

“Mn.” 

“Lovely. Follow me, Young Master Wei.” He starts walking away without another word. I follow him and I can’t help but remember another Lan while looking at Sizhui’s back. It could be a Lan sect thing to be quick and to the point. Or this young man is more like Lan Zhan than I know. He opens the door for me and gestures for me to sit in a chair in front of a blue backdrop. He shoots me another smile as he stands behind the camera, fiddling with it a bit.

“So, do you work only in the ID office or do you work in a different department?” 

He chuckles a bit. “Oh no, I usually work with Hanguang-jun or even Zewu-jun on occasion with whatever task they ask me to do. It can be menial at times, but they have asked to go with them on diplomatic missions before so I don’t mind doing boring tasks. Besides, Hanguang-jun asked me to do this himself and I knew how important it is to him so I said yes.”

“Wow, you must be very important to Lan Zhan.” He glances up at the name and goes back to his fiddling. “You must be very close to him, but I have never seen him as the type to engage in favoritism but I guess I was wrong."

“Oh no, it’s not like that at all. It might look like favoritism but Hanguang-jun is stricter and expects a lot from me. But I don’t mind that either. It makes him seem more like a dad in that kind of way. Okay, now Young Master Wei, if you would smile for me now.” I follow his request and the camera flashes, blinding me for a couple of seconds. “Ah, perfect. Now give me a couple of minutes.” He walks over to the computer and starts typing away. 

“What do you mean by it makes him more like a dad? Is he? Your father, I mean?” 

“Adoptive, but he’s the closest I remember to having a biological dad. He said someone he knew adopted me but something happened and they weren’t able to take care of me so I was put into his care. And here I am now, a Lan by adoption.” He ends with a chuckle and goes back to his typing. The more I look at him, the more I see Lan Zhan. The way he stands and walks, even the careful and polite way he speaks is very close to Lan Zhan. But, there’s something different mixed in with all the Lan. It could very well be Sizhui’s personality but that doesn’t quite cover it. It is the glint of his eyes and the way he openly laughs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) to learn about the vibesssss of all the characters and sects/branches.  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons. it changes all the time so be prepared lol  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I grin widely and throw an arm around Sizhui’s shoulders. “Of course, I would love to have you around for the ride. Hanguang-jun, lead the way for us! Let’s go meet Zewu-jun.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiiiiiiii. this chapter is suuuuper short than the others and they’re already super short honestly this chapter isn’t really my favorite nddjjddj. i might rewrite xichen’s entrance because it still feels a bit rushed and stale. i was probably experiencing some writers block lol. but we meet a veryyyyyyyy special character next chapter and honesty four and five are my favorite because of him lol. i can’t wait for y’all to read it ~~~~~~

Sizhui walks away from the printer and hands me a small plastic card. “Here you go, Young Master Wei.”

“Thank you, Sizhui. Hey, you know you don’t have to call me young master right? In the past, you would have, but now you don’t have to. Especially after what happened 16 years ago.”

He looks me dead in the eye, so intense I almost feel uncomfortable. “Oh, are you talking about the Yiling Patriarch file? Yes, I’ve read it and heard the rumors. But they knew your intentions were good and it was because innocents got caught in the crossfire. But they needed to punish you somehow so they suspended you. But you’re back now so none of that matters. We’ll mourn the loss of the innocents but it happens sometimes and all of us know that. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have the jobs we do know. Also, you’re my superior and it would be very impolite for me to call you by your name. So, I’m going to call you Young Master Wei. If that’s all, Hanguang-jun is waiting for us.” He tilts his head forward in a bow and walks out the door without a second look back. This is one interesting kid.

I catch up with Sizhui. “I like you, Sizhui. You’re spunky. So, do you have any idea what Lan Zhan has in store for me for the rest of the day?”

“From what I’ve heard, he’s taking you around to the branches and have you meet the branch heads and some of the other agents. But you’re stopping everywhere so you can get things you might need or people you need to meet. If Zewu-jun is back, you’re going to meet him before you leave the branch of support. Oh! There’s Hanguang-jun.” Lan Zhan stands when he hears his name and watches as we walk towards him. 

“Sizhui, was everything alright?”

“Yes, Hanguang-jun. Everything went fine. I also told Young Master Wei about your agenda and who I am to you. I hope you don’t mind.”

“That’s fine. He would’ve found out anyway. Sizhui, would you like to come with us on Wei Ying’s tour, or do you have other responsibilities to tend to?”

He looks from me to Lan Zhan. “If it wouldn’t be too much for Young Master Wei, I would like to go with you two.”

I grin and throw an arm around Sizhui’s shoulders. “Of course, I would love to have you around for the ride. Hanguang-jun, lead the way for us! Let’s go meet Zewu-jun.”

When Lan Zhan finally stopped, there were two offices sitting side by side. He knocks on the door on the left so I’m assuming his office is on the right. I hear a faint “Come in” and Lan Zhan opens to Zewu-jun smiling. He doesn’t look much different than when I saw him less. I guess he went from the handsome young guy to the rugged/CEO handsome middle-aged man type. Lan Zhan and he are actually dressed pretty similarly, except Zewu-jun has a light blue shirt and a black tie. That makes me wonder if they coordinate on purpose or if this is the effect of growing up together. 

“Wangji, Sizhui, Wuxian, it’s good to see you all. Please sit.” He gestures to the pristine couch against the wall and the three of us head in that direction. When I tell you it has been the most comfortable I’ve ever sat on. I am not lying. If you gave me five minutes, I would have been out like a light. While I was reveling in the comfort of the couch, the three Lans exchanged small talk. I was out of it until I could feel somebody staring at me. More like three somebody's staring at me.

“Excuse me, what did you say? I’m afraid I wasn’t paying attention.”

Zewu-jun’s smile only grew bigger. “That’s understandable, Wuxian. I’m sure it’s a lot to take in. But I asked how you were doing before Wangji came and met you. I’m sure it was hard to leave the life you spent the last 16 years building.”

“Eh, not really. It’s not hard to drop when you’re returning to the time of your life you treasured the most.”

“I’m sure the agency and the council will be happy to hear that. But are you sure there’s nothing worth returning to in your old life?”

“I mean, I didn’t have any family waiting at home for me with a home-cooked meal on the table. I had a couple of part-time jobs over the years and I was currently working at this bookstore with this old man as the owner. It was fun but it didn’t really click that much for me. I liked a couple of my coworkers but the only friends I had over my break were Wen Qing and Wen Ning. Speaking of,” I turn and look at Lan Zhan. “Can we go and visit them after this? The last time I saw them in person was like four months ago.”

“Mn.”

“Well, I guess I should wrap this meeting up as soon as possible. Sizhui and Wangji, please take care of Wei Wuxian. He’s an important part of this agency. I hope I see more of you in the future, Wuxian. I know you’ll do great things.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) to learn about the vibesssss of all the characters and sects/branches.  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons. it changes all the time so be prepared lol  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I let out a breath and turned towards the young man. “So, Sizhui. What facility did you train at? Back in my day,- I don’t like the sound of that. It makes me sound very old. Let me end with my original question.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter number four!!! and we get to see a very special and beautiful boy: lan jingyi!! i love him so much it’s kinda unhealthy lol. there’s a specific piece of fanart i used to design the junior trio(i haven’t written any story for zizhen yet ;-;) and it’s sooo pretty. i’ll link it if i ever find it again. but until then, please enjoy chapter four and look forward to five. stay safe, stay happy, and stay healthy!!! love y’all

It was a bit of a tight fit in the elevator with all three of us, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. What was uncomfortable was the absolute silence. I expected it from Lan Zhan because...well, he’s Lan Zhan. What else would he do? But I thought Sizhui would have attempted a little bit of conversation with me. But he was typing away on his phone without a care in the world. Kids these days. 

I let out a breath and turned towards the young man. “So, Sizhui. What facility did you train at? Back in my day,- I don’t like the sound of that. It makes me sound very old. Let me end with my original question.”

He slides his phone in the pocket of his jean jacket. Denim on denim over a white shirt and matching shoes, casual yet classy. “I trained at the Cloud Recesses with all the other recruits.”

“The Cloud Recesses? I thought that place got burnt down. Was it rebuilt?”

“Hanguang-jun and Zewu-jun were in charge of construction since the Lan Sect handles training. Zewu-jun told me that it's identical to the old facility.” Sizhui must have noticed the look on my face because he continues. “I’m sure that one-day Hanguang-jun can take you back to the Cloud Recesses.” The two of us look at Lan Zhan who only nods his head in return. 

“Oh, Lan Zhan! That would be amazing!”

Sizhui’s phone buzzes and he pulls out. “Oh, my friend is ready for us when we get there. He said he’ll help show us around and all the cool stuff. His words, not mine.” The elevator opens and we turn down the hall to see somebody leaning against the wall. In contrast to the Lans’ high ponytails and my messy bun, he had shaved sides and a top knot. The piercings in his ear were glinting at us from a distance. If Sizhui was casual yet classy, this young man was ready to vandalize. He was wearing a navy blue long-sleeved shirt under a light blue vest hoodie with light wash jeans and red shoes. He looks up and grins widely.

“Sizhui! You’re here.” He runs up to us and traps Sizhui in a big bear hug.

“Well, duh Jingyi. I texted you that I was on my way.” Said with fake exasperation and a slight roll of the eyes. They're close because they throw a few joking insults back and forth. Jingyi turns his attention to Lan Zhan and me. 

“Oh, I didn’t mean to be rude. Sizhui has been on a lot of diplomatic trips recently so we haven’t talked in person in a while. Not that I’m complaining about the work Sizhui has,” he added on quickly as he glances at Lan Zhan, “I was just explaining myself to Young Master Wei. It’s very nice to meet you, my name is Lan Jingyi and I work in the branch of science and technology, aka the Qishan Wen Sect.” He bows his head quickly which causes his hair to bounce a bit. Lan Zhan inclines his back at Jingyi.

“It’s good to see you again, Jingyi. Working hard?”

“Always, Hanguang-jun.”

I take a closer look at Jingyi. With Sizhui, it was easy to tell that he was a Lan by how he held himself. But with Jingyi, in the few minutes of seeing him interact with the other two, he doesn’t act like Sizhui or Lan Zhan. He seems a bit more mischievous and care-free. 

“If you’re a Lan, why are you working here in the Wen Sect? Why aren’t you working in Lan Sect?”

“After what happened 16 years ago, a lot of other agents were untrustworthy. So, they had to purge a lot of them, and then there were a lot of vacant spots in the sect. And I wasn’t doing a great job in the Lan Sect. I would mix up names and people, and offend people. They were about to demote me to become a pencil pusher but they saw how good I was with my hands. So they just transferred me over here.”

“Is that how you know Sizhui? From your time working in the Lan Sect?”

Sizhui interjects. “We knew each other from our time at the Cloud Recesses. We entered at the same time and we left at the same time. It kinda sucks that we aren’t in the same branch anymore but a lot of the time he’s just an elevator ride away.”

“Sizhui’s also my partner when we have to go on operations. I designed a lot of the weapons used on operations, including mine and Sizhui’s. But you’ll see those soon enough. Shall we start the tour of objectively the best and coolest branch in the agency?” Jingyi says with a flourish of his arms and a wide grin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) to learn about the vibesssss of all the characters and sects/branches.  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons. it changes all the time so be prepared lol  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Jesus! Jingyi, you must be a genius or like a child prodigy or something. I have no idea about half of what you said but like, Woah. No wonder you're in the Wen Sect.” I reached forward and ruffled his hair a bit. Jingyi stares as his cheeks turn a little pink and his mouth flops open.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i was planning on posting this on friday but i decided to post it early :D i’ve been doing MORE research and like honestly,,,,the chapters i’m writing aren’t necessarily sad but i’m gonna cry. i’m currently writing the other juniors entrance and it’s a lot of fun!! please enjoy chapter five and look forward to six! stay stay, stay healthy, and stay happy! love youuuuuuu

“So, here in the Wen Sect we handle designing and developing equipment for agents to use on missions. We also sort out information and relay it back to the other sects. I do more of designing and development.”

“And in this sea of cubicles, here’s my little home away from home. It’s a bit messy but I prefer it like that.” Jingyi saying that his desk was messy is a bit of an understatement. A small table was barely visible with papers and sketches scattered across its surface. There’s a desk with two large monitors and coffee cups littered around the keyboard. There’s also a bulletin board with strings of fabric strung between tacks, like something from a detective show. His office looked as if a tornado came through. 

Sizhui clicks his tongue in slight disappointment. “Don’t you ever clean this place?”

“Hey, you try designing gauntlets that are lightweight but carry enough weight to pack a punch. See how nice your office is after that.”

My ears perk up at what Jingyi says. “Gauntlets?”

“Oh, yes! At first, the idea had come to me in a dream and I thought it wouldn’t be possible. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it and here I am now. I’m trying to see if there is any way for an agent to bring in gauntlets into a covert situation. Now, I have to think about the schematics of how to conceal and how I can’t have them be so heavy that the agent breaks their wrists but I also have to think about the fact that the point is that the agent needs to break the _bad guy’s_ wrist. I could make it out of something like iron or steel but I have to make sure it’s rustproof and not too clunky or it’ll look like it’s from the middle ages. Titanium is lighter than steel but I’m not sure if that’s what I want these made of that and it’s debatable how strong it would be. I’ve started researching magnesium carbon alloys since it’s stronger than the metals I’ve mentioned _and_ it’s lighter. But I’ve seen that it can corrode so I’m not sure at this point. It’s very interesting-”

“Jesus! Jingyi, you must be a genius or like a child prodigy or something. I have no idea about half of what you said but like, Woah. No wonder you're in the Wen Sect.” I reached forward and ruffled his hair a bit. Jingyi stares as his cheeks turn a little pink and his mouth flops open. 

“Eh? Most people find a lot of the design stuff to be kind of overwhelming at first and I tend to ramble. But thank you, Young Master Wei.” 

I throw an arm over his shoulders and walk him out the door. “If you ever wanna talk design stuff, I’m a bit rusty but I’m always free.” Jingyi smiles brightly and before he can respond I cut him off. Eh, we get it, we get it. Young Master Wei is awesome and Young Master Wei is the coolest superior I have. Now, how about you take us to Wen Qing’s office?”

“I say thank you to this new senior and he already gets a big head. Note to self: don’t be nice or formal with Senior Wei. He’ll go nuts. But okay, I’ll take you up on that offer. But first, follow me.” Jingyi starts walking away, ignoring my shouts at his back. Sizhui lets out a little giggle and catches up with his friend. Lan Zhan has a small smirk on his face as he passes and that’s enough to make up for Jingyi making fun of me. I take long strides to catch up with Lan Zhan and we walk side by side. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) to learn about the vibesssss of all the characters and sects/branches.  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My body already aches with memories of getting pulverized by her. It fills my heart with glee and despair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhhh!! i haven’t been able to write much recently since i’ve been working on school stuff but the fact that over 100 people have seen is absolutely crazy!! i’ve written up to eleven so that’s why i’m releasing 6 and 7 today maybe this will give me pressure to write lol anyway, i hope everybody is having a wonderful day/night! stay happay, stay healthy, and stay safe!! love youuuu

Jingyi stops in front of a door that is pitch black and smiles back at us as he knocks. “Senior Wei, don’t be too frightened. I’m sure the branch leader won’t bite too much.”

“Ha! As if I’m afraid of Wen Qing. She’s all bark and no bite.” This was a complete lie. I am deathly afraid of Wen Qing. This only makes Jingyi smile wider as he opens the door. Wen Qing is smiling as we come but the look in her eyes makes me want to stop in my tracks. 

“Ah, Wei Wuxian. It’s been far too long, hasn’t it?” She rises and stands in front of me. She’s dressed like a branch leader and she even holds herself like it too. She has on a long flowing white coat with red accents at the bottom with a cream blouse underneath and matching flowy pants and a pair of heels tall enough to make me wince. She’s still shorter than me but dear god, she has enough presence to fill the training hall and then some.

“Uh, yeah. It has been. How have you been?”

“I’m good but it would have been nice to know you were coming. I haven’t heard from you in almost two weeks.” Okay, I can explain myself. Honestly… I had been half blaming myself for everything that happened and half in my head for a while because Yanli’s birthday was at the beginning of the month so I had the idea of trying to make myself her signature lotus root soup as a way of celebrating. But I had forgotten how to make it and the only other person that knows that was _alive_ was Jiang Cheng and like I can’t even step into that territory. So, I broke down crying while her favorite songs play in the background. Now that I’m better now(read: swept all that under the carpet of my brain), I can admit that I was being a bit ridiculous. But how do I say this to Wen Qing while keeping in mind the fact that the Lans are right behind me? 

“Yeah,” I wince at how high my voice comes out, “Sorry about that. Some stuff...happened.”

The glint in her eyes becomes a bit more understanding and she nods her head. “That makes sense. Once you get more settled down, let’s have a sparring match down in the basement.” That’s Wen Qing for “We’re gonna talk while I beat you up as a form of therapy for both you and me.” She might work as a branch head and double as a head medic for the infirmary. But, Wen Qing is terrifying when it’s you and her on the mats. My body already aches with memories of getting pulverized by her. It fills my heart with glee and despair. 

“I’ll make sure that I get settled in then.”

“Lovely.” She turns her attention to Jingyi. “Have you shown him the arms cache yet?”

“Not yet. I was planning to take him after we came here and saw you. Where’s Young Master Wen? I thought he would be in here.”

“He’s training because he’s going into the field soon and he fears he’s rusty from working in the infirmary for too long. He’ll either be in the training hall or the arms cache. I know that he’ll be love to see you again, Wuxian. I have a ton of paperwork to do so I would not join the little caravan that you all are building. Now, if you all would step out.” Again, this is Wen Qing for “Get out because you all are distracting me from my work.” She’s usually a bit more straightforward but she might be holding back since it’s been a while. 

We fulfill her request and Jingyi leads us through so many twists and turns that I’m not sure if I would know my back even with a map. 

“I don’t remember the arms cache being this far underground.”

“We moved it. Most agents have weapons on them but the arms cache has operation weapons in there so we moved it close to the training hall for convenience and whatnot.” Jingyi reaches a door with a keypad and punches in a code before the door beeps open. There’s a sudden cold draft that hits our little group and everybody but Lan Zhan shivers. Sizhui turns to look at me. 

“Senior Wei, you're going to be very impressed with what you’re about to see. It’s pretty much Jingyi’s pride and joy. When he’s not holed up in his office, he’s often testing new stuff or seeing what needs to be replaced down here.” 

“It’s my _job._ Of course, I’ll spend a bunch of time down here. It’s pretty much why I’m here.” Jingyi tries to play it cool but I can see the gleam in his eyes as he looks around the room. It is impressive, so I can see why he’s proud. The arms cache is as large as the lobby I had walked through earlier today. The left side of the room had firearms strung up on the wall for display. Another wall was for swords, knives, and various other sharp weapons. There were benches and equipment for sharpening or shining or cleaning. There was an area dedicated to bows, quivers of arrows, and smaller crossbows strung up. Another wall was used for bulletproof clothing, armor of all materials, and training clothes. The floors were hard cement, but a mat is over the floor to make it a little easier on the feet. There was an area for weapons that are more covert and serve a second purpose, where I even see blueprints and materials for the gauntlets Jingyi was talking about earlier. A corner of the room was dedicated to blunter tools such as staffs, nunchucks, tonfas, and an assortment of other things. For a place that stores weapons, it’s pretty well lit. You know, gives more of a spare room vibe instead of a basement storing swords and firearms. 

“Oh, please. I’ve seen you sleep here more than I’ve seen you sleep in your apartment.” Sizhui shoves him lightly. 

“As if I haven’t seen you snoozing in the Lan Sect office every once in a while. Follow me, Senior Wei. The training hall is through this hallway.” We come out into a large room with a high ceiling. It’s like the arms cache except there’s only practice staff and weapons in buckets in there. This area of the basement is for single, pair, and group training. It’s meant for hand-to-hand combat but I’m sure all the doors leading off from this area are for things like a shooting range for firearms and bows alike if outside training wasn’t cutting it and I’m sure Jingyi’s mad scientist lab is somewhere down here. Suddenly, one of the doors open and my breath catches from the sudden influx of memories that hit me like a truck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) for character aesthetics!  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Wei Ying can’t respond if you hug him like that.” At Lan Zhan’s words, he looks at my face that I’m like 95% sure was turning purple and sets me down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hellloooooo everyone!! i hope you’re doing alright. becauseeee i’ve introduced another favorite character: Wen Ning. he’s literally such a babie. he deserved better in MDZS so i’m giving him a bit of a happier life in this one lolol. if you have any critiques, comments, or concerns please just let me know! as always, stay safe, stay happy, and stay healthy!! love you alll!!!

Wen Ning doesn’t look much different than he did four months ago, but it’s more how much he looks like he did 16 years ago. I guess he’s coming from the showers because I can see the water droplets fall from his bun. I’ve told him multiple times that it’ll tangle his hair beyond imagining and he should let it air dry or even use a towel, but he smiles and any scolding I would have for him would evaporate. If I didn’t know the kid better, I would say he uses it to his advantage but he’s not the type. He’s too genuine, that’s why I have a soft spot for him. His sister doesn’t coddle him near as much as I do. But you can see that she cares about him dearly in the way her eyes gleam when she talks about him. He’s wearing a hoodie from a concert the three of us had attended and a pair of basketball shorts. He could blend in with the juniors if it wasn’t for his long, gangly limbs. He grabs his stuff, takes a long swig from a water bottle, and starts to walk out when he finally notices us. A smile lights up his face as he drops his bag and picks me up in a hug. 

“Young Master Wei! You’re here! Dear God, it’s been forever since I’ve seen you. How have you been? Have you been eating well? Sleeping well?”

“Wen Qionglin.” Lan Zhan says softly. 

“Yes, Hanguang-jun?” 

“Wei Ying can’t respond if you hug him like that.” At Lan Zhan’s words, he looks at my face that I’m like 95% sure was turning purple and sets me down.

“Oh, yeah! I’m sorry about that. I guess I got a little too excited. Are you okay, Young Master Wei?”

I roll my eyes at how concerned he is and clap a hand on his shoulder. “Wen Ning, I’m fine. No need to worry. And to answer your questions, I’ve been okay. I eat all my meals because you and your sister would beat me up if I didn’t. I’m an insomniac so I’m as friendly with sleep as I am with dogs.”

“You’re not wrong about jiejie. But I’m glad you’re doing well, Young Master Wei.”

“Ah, can we stop with the whole Young Master Wei thing? It makes me feel like some old fuddy-duddy.”

“Then what do you want me to call you?” 

“You can call me Ge if you want. Or Wei Wuxian, or Wei Ying.” Wen Ning’s eyes bug out of his head and his mouth flops open and close. 

“I don’t think me calling you by your name will be very appropriate.”

“Why not? I’ve known you since we were both snot-nosed teenagers and I think we’re close enough to call each other by name.” And an idea pops into my head. I looked at Wen Ning with puppy dog eyes that have taken my entire life to perfect. “Unless you don’t think we’re not that close? I thought we were like brothers, but I guess not.” I get the reaction I was hoping for when he starts shaking his head violently.

“No, no, no. It’s not like that at all. We’re super close. I do consider you like a brother!”

“Then you won’t have any problem with calling me gege. Great talk, Wen Ning.” Could I have done that a bit smoother? Yes, but I’m a bit rusty and I missed messing with Wen Ning like this. It’s only been a couple of months but being able to talk comfortably with somebody like this is even better than I remember. 

“Okay, Wuxian...ge”

“Atta-boy! See, that’s so much better, isn’t it? Now, your sister told me that you were going on an operation? How are you feeling?”

“It’s fine, I’ll be gone for a couple of weeks. I’ll be leaving in three days but I haven’t gotten any of my stuff ready or anything. They’re sending me out by myself so I’m just a bit nervous.” 

“Dude! Three days, that’s like in no time. We should get some dinner tonight! Plus, Wen Qing is gonna beat me up anyway so I might as well get some dinner out of it before you leave me to her wrath. Text me about it later, okay?”

Wen Ning looked a little sheepish for some reason. It wasn’t residual embarrassment from me teasing him and I can see it in the way he leans in and lowers his voice. “Uh, Wuxian-ge. You blocked both me and jiejie, so I can’t text you if I wanted to anyway.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) for character aesthetics!  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I follow him after he starts walking off without a word again. I thought that not seeing Lan Zhan for the last 16 years would cause us to feel unfamiliar, but walking behind him and seeing his long hair move as he glides elegantly into the room makes me wish I had seen him much earlier. Watching his back brings back all the times I had longed to go back to when we were younger before I went and destroyed my relationship with him...and many others for that matter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!!! so sorry i went like MIA for a while. school has been kicking my ASS recently and then writing chapter eleven was,,,,difficult to say the least. but i’m on break now and my focus will be like completely on writing! i’ll try and upload a chapter every friday,,but we’ll see how that goes. please feel free to comment anything you want about the story, things you hate, love, and don’t really care about lol. as always, stay safe, stay healthy, and stay happy!!! love yallllll

The feeling of his words hit me like a bucket of cold water. I had forgotten I had blocked them weeks ago. And the sad part is, I had felt so heartbroken at the fact that two of my closest friends weren’t even trying to reach out to me. But it was me putting up a wall again. 

“Oh, oh yeah. Let me just... let me do that right now.” I splutter as I unlock my phone and press the unblock button. My phone blows up with text messages, phone calls, and voicemails from the Wen siblings. It takes almost everything in me to not burst into tears on the spot. Wen Ning gives me a soft smile as he types a message on his phone in the chat with me and his sister. We both pocket our devices and stand there staring at each other until somebody coughs. I turn to see Sizhui looking at both of us. 

“So very sorry to interrupt you Senior Wei and Senior Wen, but we should be going now. We still haven’t finished the tour and I’m sure Senior Wei wants it to end quickly so he can get out of here earlier. Right?” 

“Yeah, the kid is right. I’ll see you at six, the old barbeque place we used to go to. I’m paying!”

“I would argue but I’m sure jiejie will do enough of that for both of us. But please, let me not interrupt your tour. I should get back to the infirmary-” Wen Ning’s phone starts ringing in his pocket and he smiles when he picks it up. “Speak of the devil. It’s probably an agent who got stabbed and decided to take the knife out even though that’s like stabbing 101.”

“Do people do that a lot here?”

“Usually it’s juniors who don’t know any better and are freaking out about the hole in their body. Or it’s literal seasoned agents who think they’re hot stuff and can endure the pain or something. I’m gonna head up there before they lose too much blood. I’ll see you at 6, Wei-gege.” He smiles and leaves with a small bow to all three of us. I follow him with my eyes and I find a smile on my face. Talking to Wen Ning was always enjoyable, and it often made me forget all the wrongs committed against me. 

Lan Zhan turns toward Sizhui. “Is Chenqing still down here?”

“Yes, it is. But if you’ll excuse me, I have lunch plans with Jingyi and the others and I don’t want to be late.”

Lan Zhan nods. “You’re dismissed.” And with a polite nod and bow, Sizhui walks briskly out of the room. 

My ears perk up. “Chenqing? Do you still have her? I thought the agency would have put her in the hall of shame. Or like have her destroyed or something so that “evil energy” wouldn’t run wild in the agency.”

“Chenqing was never placed in the hall of conquests. It was in storage until I had Sizhui here take it out when I finally got the go-ahead to come and bring you back to the agency. Jingyi also assisted in providing some maintenance to make sure she was in good shape. Follow me.” 

I follow him after he starts walking off without a word again. I thought that not seeing Lan Zhan for the last 16 years would cause us to feel unfamiliar, but walking behind him and seeing his long hair move as he glides elegantly into the room makes me wish I had seen him much earlier. Watching his back brings back all the times I had longed to go back to when we were younger before I went and destroyed my relationship with him...and many others for that matter. 

Lan Zhan grabs a chest and sets it on the table in front of us. In very messy handwriting, “Wei Wuxian’s, DO NOT TOUCH” scrawled across the front in bright marker. “You would think my handwriting would get better as I got older but somehow it’s still the same,” I say with a dry chuckle. I spread my palm against it, the cold of the metal seeping into my hands. I flip the tabs open and throw the top open. My heart swells at the sight of Chenqing in front of me once again. She was completely pitch black but had red accents on the barrel and slide. The inscription had a Chinese character in red on the bottom of the magazine and the grip panel as well. I pick her up and the weight of the gun in my hands reminds me of my past. I shrug on the thigh holster that was in the chest and strap it on. I did have to loosen it a bit, but I hope it’s due to the gym visits and not me eating ice cream at 4 am. I holster Chenqing and feel at home with the weight on my leg. 

“Chenqing, which can roughly translate to explain something in full detail or express emotion.” I look up at Lan Zhan, a mysterious look in his eyes as he stares back at me. “It fits you. The name of the gun. Suits you much better than Subian.” 

“I don’t know, Suibian is a very good name. I mean, it goes well with any situation. Besides, not everyone can have a weapon name like Bichen. Where is Bichen anyway? I thought everybody's weapons are down here.” 

Lan Zhan takes off his trench coat and I see he has a chest holster where the grip of Bichen sticks out. “I prefer to have Bichen on me at all times. For safety.” He pulls it out and I’m still amazed by Bichen’s beauty as I was when I was a teenager. It was sky-blue steel with clouds etched into the barrel. Bichen, meaning to avoid worldly matters. But I've been told that it’s a wish to never become corrupt and a reminder to remember his integrity. Even with something as simple as a firearm, Lan Zhan remains as pristine as ever. He puts Bichen back in the holster and throws his coat over his arm. “We shouldn’t linger for long. Shall we continue?” 

I nod, and I fall in step with him, our shoulders brushing slightly. “I heard you had adopted Sizhui when he was younger. I didn’t know you wanted kids.” 

“I didn’t think so. But he was important to someone close to me so it was easy to take him in. He was always well behaved so I didn’t have trouble with him when he was growing up.”

“Lan Zhan, you never told me you had a lover! Who is she? Do I know her?” I grin widely at him, even though I feel my heart splinter into pieces. Have I been gone that long that Lan Zhan found someone who he cares about? Someone who he could hold and love and whisper honey-soaked words to each other. Somebody...that wasn’t me? 

His footsteps stutter for half a second but he continues walking. “It wasn’t a woman.”

“So a man?”

“He wasn’t my lover, but… I cared for him as deeply as one.”

I hummed in acknowledgment as I jammed my hands in my pockets. We fall into silence, one where we can feel the wheels turning in the others’ head. Before long, we reached and jumped into the elevator once more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) for character aesthetics!  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for info about branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The elevator doors open and a smirk finds its way to my face. “Speak of the devil.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!!! i’m posting this later than i though but to be fair i also thought i would get this out by midnight lol. i finally finished writing one chapter and now i’m stuck on the next,,,hopefully it goes better. i also!!! made a pinterest which i’m gonna start tagging but it’s been giving me trouble so we will see where that goes. as always, if you have any comments, questions, or concerns, just comment them. stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe!! love youuuuu :D

“Lan Zhan, since Nie Mingjue got injured and retired from the agency way back when doesn’t that mean Nie Huaisang is branch head for the Nie Sect?”

“Mn.”

“How’s he been doing? Is he doing well?”

“He’s doing much better than expected. He was the one who received the tip about Jin Guangyao.”

I raise an eyebrow at the statement. “Really? And nobody thought it was suspicious? Jin Guangyao was second-in-command for the Nie sect, what if they were working together?”

“Wei Ying, you and I both know that Huaisang may be more cunning than others but he would never stray to the side of evil. He may have questionable methods, but his intentions and morals are good.”

The elevator doors open and a smirk finds its way to my face. “Speak of the devil.”

Nie Huaisang’s eyes sparkle like when he was younger and found something that interested him. “Wei Wuxian, how wonderful it is to see you.” He says, opening his fan with a flourish.

“And it’s good to see you as well. You look nice, Huaisang. Ditched the overalls?”

He looks down at his matching plaid blazer and slacks with a black turtleneck and shiny black shoes. “I save those for casual Fridays. But seeing you, it seems like it’s come early this week.”

“Of course, every day should be casual Friday. Then you wouldn’t have to wear those stuffy suits all the time. So, how’s work as a branch head?”

“It’s fine, a lot more paperwork than when I was an agent. Zonghui here,” he gestures to the sturdy, serious-looking man behind him, “has been breathing down my neck so that I barely get the chance to procrastinate.”

“Well, maybe if you didn’t procrastinate, we could have found Jin Guangyao earlier.”

Huaisang’s eyes narrow slightly. “Wei Wuxian, it took a decade of meeting the seediest of people and establishing trust and connections. Don’t doubt my abilities.”

“Nie Huaisang, I could have gotten your connections and trust within four years. I’m not doubting your abilities, I’m just saying you were just being slow.”

Zonghui steps forward at me, but Huaisang stops him with a hand on his chest. Instead, he hands Zonghui his fan and lunges at me and wraps his arms around me.

“Wei Wuxian!” He says with a gleeful laugh, memories of our youth seeping through. “It’s been so long since somebody’s talked to me like that to my face. They always talk behind my back, as if I don’t haven’t eyes and ears everywhere. Oh, how much I’ve missed it!”

I give him a few pats on his back, chuckling as we separate. “Well, usually the people who talk about are self-obsessed pricks and they can’t say it to your face because they’re not your super cool best friend, aka me.”

“Best friend? What kind of best friend are you? You missed my 22nd birthday, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th…”

“Then I’ll make sure to show up for your 35th birthday then.”

Nie Huaisang gives me a look and I hear Lan Zhan’s voice in my ear. “Wei Ying, Nie Huaisang’s birthday was on the 20th. That was a week ago.” I look back at Huaisang who takes a half offended and half-amused sniff.

“Ah, well you know me. Shit memory, what can I say?”

Zonghui finally speaks up, a deep rumble sounding like it’s coming from his chest. “Mr. Nie, we have a meeting at four and we mustn’t miss it. Shall we?” and he gestured to the elevator. Nie Huaisang rolls his eyes and steps in, not before nodding at both me and Lan Zhan. Before the elevator doors close, I can hear Huaisang say in an exasperated tone: “Zonghui, you’ve known me since I was a child. PLEASE call me Huaisang…”

I turned my head to look at Lan Zhan and grin. “Well, that was something. Where are we going now?”

“I have someone I would like you to meet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) for character aesthetics!  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh my god! I cannot believe I am meeting THE Wei Wuxian. Sir, I can’t tell you how much I look up to you. A lot of your inventions still help the agency today and you’re the entire reason I was even interested in coming to the agency. You’re an inspiration!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!!! i know this is coming a bit late but once again emotional scenes aren’t really my forte ;-; that might be a spoiler but take it was you will djdjd introducing another favorite junior of mine. ugh what i would do to squeeze his cheeks, it’s kinda sad lol. but as always, if you have anything you wanna comment on, scream about, tell me you hate, just leave a comment lol. i hope each and every single one of you stays happy, stays healthy, and stays safe!!!! i loveeeeeee you

Lan Zhan started walking swiftly through the halls before I realized where we were. The gold accents, the scent of arrogance and potpourri, and the little peonies stamped on every possible place.

“Lan Zhan, I’m not sure if I’m allowed to be here due to...circumstances.”

“You will be fine. We are only meeting one person. If anything happens, I will protect Wei Ying.” He continues walking as if I didn’t walk into the second-worst place in the agency. The Jin Sect. It’s just a bunch of glorified tech nerds with a superiority complex. _Technically_ , they keep the agency safe but they didn’t have to be pricks about it. 

Lan Zhan and I approach a cubicle with someone with his back turned and phone clutched to his ears. 

“Yes, Gran I’m eating all my meals. Yes, I know coffee doesn’t count as a meal. I got your cookies, everybody thought they were delicious. No, you don’t need to make more. I still have leftovers. I know, I know, no more all-nighters working. Yes, I know the last time I started awake for a week straight, I passed out. But I was able to help- yes ma’am. Is Pa still angry? Oh, well tell him that I miss him and I love him. Of course, I love you too Gran.” He turns around and jumps, the bun on top of his head wobbling. “Oh! How long have you been standing there?”

I glance at Lan Zhan and back at the...young man? He doesn’t appear to be older than Sizhui or Jingyi, if anything he could be a bit younger. “Uh, ever since you said you were eating your meals?” His cheeks glow a bright red but he has a small smile on his face. 

“Ah, yeah. My Gran calls often to check up on me to make sure I’m doing well. She’s a very sweet lady. She even sent me these cookies. Do you want one?” My instinct was to say no but he had such a sweet smile when he asked, that I felt like if I said no he would cry or something. 

“Sure! I would love one.” His grin grows even wider, and I decide that if anything happens to him, I would go ballistic and hurt someone. He grabs a Tupperware from beside and cracked the lid open, offering the container to me. First of all, they smelled heavenly. I grabbed one and bit into one. His grandmother must be a witch or something because these cookies are straight-up magic. It’s a simple chocolate chip but it has something else in it. Like the faint taste of home in it. 

“How is it?”

“These are fantastic! Please tell your grandmother she’s a wonderful baker. Lan Zhan, do you want one? They’re _really_ good!”

“Lan rule: train your body and your mind. Thank you for offering.” 

I grab another cookie and wrap it in a napkin before handing back the Tupperware. “I remember another rule being don’t be picky about food. I’ll save this for you later. Thank you so much for the cookies.” 

The young man swivels his chair to Lan Zhan. “It was no problem! Hanguangjun! Sorry for not saying hello. I was distracted.”

“It’s fine, Zizhen,” He says with a slight smile on his face. “Ouyang Zizhen, meet Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian, Ouyang Zizhen.”

I extend my hand towards Zizhen, but the Tupperware clatters as he drops it on his desk from shock. “You’re Wei Wuxian?”

“Uh, yes I am. In the flesh.” This was what I was worried about, what was going to happen if I went to visit the Jin Sect. People would be afraid or even cold towards me. “Listen, I’ve known I’ve done a lot of terrible-”

Zizhen surges forward and clutches my hand, shaking it up and down. “Oh my god! I cannot believe I am meeting _THE_ Wei Wuxian. Sir, I can’t tell you how much I look up to you. A lot of your inventions still help the agency today and you’re the entire reason I was even interested in coming to the agency. You’re truly an inspiration!” 

“I...am?”

“Oh, yes! I heard stories about you when I was younger. How you were one of the most promising agents they had in the agency at the time. How you were put into the Jiang Sect but you contributed with the Wen branch. They use you as a cautionary tale, but I don’t understand why! I mean, you were able to achieve your goal and the people who did get injured knew what they were getting into in the first place. The sects knew this and they didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that they had fucked up. So, they just used you as a scapegoat.” He looks at Lan Zhan. “Sorry, Hanguangjun.”

“You didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. But speak meagerly, too many words can only bring harm.” Zizhen nods and his eyes sparkle. “Now, can you please tell Wei Ying what you do here?” 

“Oh, most definitely.” He jumps back into his chair, swiveling slightly. “This is the Lanling Jin headquarters, branch of digital innovation. We deal with cyber and technological attacks against our agents and the agency itself. If the branch of operations sends agents out on missions, the branch of support trains them, and the branch of science and technology advances agents, we do a combination of that. I work on maintaining the confidentiality of information within the agency, like identities, missions, etc. You can think of me as a professional secret keeper.” 

“So you must be super important in the agency?”

He fiddled with the rings on his hands and they made a jingling sound. “I wouldn’t say _that_. I’m more of a cog in the machine.”

“Zizhen’s code has been a large part of protecting the agency. It helped us track down an enemy that we had been tracking for weeks.” Lan Zhan pipes up. 

“Really? That’s amazing! You must be talented.” 

He fidgets even more. “I didn’t do much. I typed somethings here, coded that there, and bing bang boom I caught the bad guy. I’ve been doing things like that since I was twelve and building computers in my basement.” 

“Wow.” I nudge Lan Zhan. “The new batch of kids are talented. You trained them well.” 

Lan Zhan’s eats grow pink at the compliment. “We only built upon what was already there. Zizhen, will you open Wei Wuxian’s file?”

“Your wish is my command, Hanguangjun.” He rolls up the sleeves of his light green button-up, wipes his hands on his tan pants, and turns to his computer. He types furiously and sits up straight once he finds it. “Here we are!” Lan Zhan and I come closer to Zizhen’s desk. His desktop is covered in little motivational sticky notes, all with different handwriting and some more threatening than others. On the screen, we see an ID card taken from when I had first entered the agency, a teenager smiling with all his might. Underneath, are details such as height, weight, background, etc. “So...why are we looking this up?” 

“I want you to update the file about Wei Wuxian’s come back to the agency and his new mission. Also, update the basic information but you’ll receive that in an email from Sizhui.” Zizhen nods and begins typing. “Ah, Sizhui said that he was having lunch with the others. I assume that includes you.” 

Zizhen glances at his watch. “Holy shit! I’m late!” He scrambles out of his chair and starts grabbing things off of his desk. “I can’t be late for the fifth time or they’ll make me buy them lunch at some expensive sushi place. Again! And I need to buy goldfish food with that money. It’s always great to see you, Hanguangjun. And Senior Wei, I can’t wait to work with you in the time to come.” He all but dashes out of his cubicle. 

“He’s a very bright young man. A little clumsy and a little all over the place, but he has an excellent mind.” He looks at me carefully. “Wei Ying, you do realize where we have to go next?” I sigh and nod in response. “Good. Do not be afraid. If anything goes wrong, I’ll be by your side.” 

“Oh, Lan Zhan!” I say in my best damsel-in-distress voice. “You’re my hero!” 

He smooths over his tie. “How boring.” I cackle as we walk down the hallways. In these little moments, it makes me feel like a recruit again. And I like that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) for character aesthetics!  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Jiujiu, who’s this?” Jiujiu?? I look towards the door in fear. His eyes grow stormy and his jaw clenched as he spits out his words, as if they were poison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!!! i’m posting a lot earlier in the day than I thought but i wanted to before i forgot lol. i’ve been kinda out of it and the presidential debate didn’t really help with that ndndnd. but who needs that when you have MDZS?? if you can tell from the summary, two new characters are introduced and this chapter was a PAIN to write. but as always if you have anything you hate, love, want changes, leave a comment lol. stay happy, stay healthy, and stay safe!!!! wuv youuu 🥺

Being back in the Jiang sect is like walking around your childhood home. Which, by extension, is true for me. I still remember the day Uncle brought me to the agency for the first time. The walls were a deep mauve and the air always smelled of lotuses. The windows of Uncle’s office overlooked a body of water that you can only see from the Jiang sect. 

But now, the walls are a soft lilac. The lotus scent is still there, but there’s a lingering scent of jasmine as well. It reminds me of Yanli’s favorite perfume. Or the incense she would light around the house to help Uncle destress. I make rights and lefts around the office, not sure if I know where I'm going exactly but operating on muscle memory. I stop once I reach a door with a gilded nameplate. _Sandu Shengshou_. A name for a person who means the most to me but wants nothing to do with me. I raise my hand to knock, hesitating a little. Is it worth it to hesitate? Will it make his hate of me less justified? Will my hesitation bring back Yanli and Zixuan? My stomach is doing cartwheels as I rap my fist against the door. 

“Come in. Unless you’re Jingyi. Then piss off.” A young man’s voice says through the door. 

I hear some muttering and shuffling before the door opens and I am met with a face I haven’t seen in 16 years. He’s aged. There are freckles across the bridge of his nose, wrinkles near the corners of his eyes even when he’s scowling. He stands with tired wisdom. The one thing that hasn’t changed was the sharp eyes he’s had ever since we were kids. It feels like lightning struck right where he was standing, all my hairs on end, and a metallic taste in my mouth. Dear God, I forgot what it was like to be scared to meet someone. Not jokingly, but pure and raw terror. 

“Surprise?” He takes a sharp inhale. He glances at Lan Zhan behind me and nods minutely. 

“I wasn’t expecting company today but please do come in. Please excuse the mess.” There’s an underlying tone of anger in his voice and he maintains eye contact, daring me to do something unnecessary. Which is my specialty, but for his sake and mine, I quietly step into the room. The “mess” he was referring to was the large number of weapons scattered on every surface possible. Sitting at the large oak desk in front of the windows was a scowling young man, almost identical to the infamous Sandu Shengshou. His fingers were poised over his keyboard and there was a lollipop hanging from his mouth. 

“Jiujiu, who’s this?” _Jiujiu??_ I look towards the door in fear. His eyes grow stormy and his jaw clenched as he spits out his words, as if they were poison. 

“This is your other uncle. Jin Ling, meet Wei Wuxian. Wei Wuxian, meet Jin Ling, your nephew.” Shit. I turn to...Jesus Christ, I turn to my _nephew._ Yanli’s child, the only thing remaining of her other than memories and photographs. I should have seen it coming as soon as I saw him. The only kid Jiang Cheng would allow to even breathe near his desk would only be his nephew. I stare at him, taking in his features. He has Yanli’s soft eyes and nose, Zixuan’s strong figure and prescience, and Jiang Cheng’s stubborn set eyebrows and curved mouth. The last time I had seen him, he was a screaming infant who only calmed down when you gave him a finger for his tiny fist to clutch. I was so distracted that I didn’t even notice the crossbow he was aiming right between my eyebrows. 

“Jin Ling! What in God’s name are you doing?” 

“You said that this was Wei Wuxian. He’s the reason why my parents, your sister, and brother-in-law are dead!”

“Yeah, that doesn’t mean pull out a weapon on him! Put the crossbow down and let the adults talk, alright?” Jin Ling glances at Jiang Cheng and then back at me before scoffing and putting the crossbow down. “Good. Now, do you want to leave or would you rather stay? I’m giving you the decision because you aren’t being forced to be here _and_ you’re as much of a branch leader as I am.” It’s...borderline uncomfortable to see Jiang Cheng speak this softly to Jin Ling. It almost makes the time I had been gone feel like centuries because not only did I miss the entirety of my nephew’s childhood, I missed getting older with the people around me. Because, shit, Jiang Cheng has an entire streak of gray hair starting from his temple stretching to the back of his head. 

“I’ll stay, jiujiu, but that doesn’t mean I’ll sit here quietly.” 

“I never expected that of you.” Jiang Cheng turns to me and Lan Zhan. “Sit down. I’m sure there’s much to discuss.” Lan Zhan sits across from Jiang Cheng and I’m across from Jin Ling, which is the most uncomfortable experience of my life. And I grew watching Yanli fall in love with an insufferable tsundere prick. I stare at the floor. If I never look up, then I wouldn’t have to look in Yanli’s eyes and experience her death all over again. 

“Jin Ling, don’t you have lunch plans with the others?”

“Hanguangjun. I already told them that I was going to be late, so don’t worry. Nothing is keeping me from sitting in on this conversation.”

“I had assumed as much.” 

“So,” Jiang Cheng leans forward, forearms resting against his knees, “how have you been, Wei Wuxian? You look like shit.”

“Yeah, well you know. Living in a hole-in-the-wall apartment for 16 years and hopping from job to job doesn’t mean I hold my supermodel looks.”

He snorts.“I see your humor is as bad as ever. I’m surprised you came down here to visit, you haven’t contacted me in more than a decade.”

“Well, after the whole...situation from long ago, I didn’t think you would want anything to do with me.”

Jing Ling sneers. “How dare you refer to the deaths of my parents and hundreds of agents as a situation?”

I can feel the blood drain from my face and I stare holes into the ground. “You’re right, that was very insensitive of me. I apologize.”

“You should be.” Jin Ling hesitates and begins speaking once more. “But I have to understand that before they were my parents, they were your sister and your brother-in-law. So, you lost family as well in the raid.”

“Oh! Um, thank you for understanding.”

Jiang Cheng turns to Lan Zhan. “Hanguangjun, what’s your business here?”

“I came down here with Wei Ying. I needed to discuss something with you and Jin Ling. Now that Wei Ying has returned, there’s the issue of where he’s going to work. I’ve spoken to Xichen and we’ve agreed to take him into the Cloud Recesses if need be. But, I wanted to ask your opinion on the matter. Both as Branch Heads and the closest family he has.”

“And have you asked Wen Qing and Nie Huaisang? I’m sure they didn’t say no to taking him in.”

“Wen Qing said she would prefer to hear others’ opinions before she gives hers. As for Nie Huaisang, he started shaking his head so violently that he got a headache and Zonghui had to escort him out."

Jiang Cheng smiles, a stark difference to the frown. “I should have known those two would team up against me. What about you, Hanguangjun? What do you believe we should do?” 

”I don’t believe it is my place to make your decision for you. But, whatever you two decide, I will support it.” 

“Ever so indifferent, Hanguangjun. Jin Ling, what’s your opinion on the matter? Would you be able to accept Wei Wuxian into the Jin sect?”

“No.” I inhale sharper and snap my head up to look at him. “Lanling Jin deals with mostly technological situations and I am sure that it wouldn’t be the best fit for Senior Wei. As Branch Leader, I believe that he would be best utilized either as an operations officer or as an analyst alongside Hanguangjun and Sizhui.”

Jiang Cheng speaks in my direction, gaze heavy on my shoulders. “Then we are all decided then? Wei Wuxian is now reinstated as an operations officer under the Yunmeng Jiang Sect."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) for character aesthetics!  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I never said you could stop, you idiot.” I clutch him harder, causing him to make a choked sound. “Get off or I’ll shoot you in the foot.” I release him and sit back down to find Jin Ling looking at me strangely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everybody!!!! i’m actually posting this chapter a day later on purpose because,,,,,,, it wei wuxian AND my birthday!! it is absolutely wild that i share a birthday with but him as a chaotic good bisexual and me as a chaotic good pansexual, we’re pretty similar. it’s only midnight but i wouldn’t have had time during the day because i’ll be having a zoom hangout with my friends. BUT as always, anything you love, hate, dislike, pleaseeeee tell me. stay safe, stay healthy, and stay happy!!! i love you from the bottom of my heart! you’ve got this :D

_Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck._ Before I know it, my eyesight became blurry and tears were streaming down my face. I can feel arms wrap around me and Lan Zhan’s voice in my ears. Somebody stuffs a silk fabric in my hands. My eyes clear up enough to see a lotus flower embroidered onto mauve fabric. 

“Wipe your face. This sort of behavior in public is disgraceful. I won’t have you represent our sect like that.” I get out of my chair clumsily and tackle Jiang Cheng in a hug. “Get off of me, you man-child. You’re wrinkling my shirt!”

“Endure it, A-Cheng.” I pull back slightly, looking him in the eyes. “Do I… Can I still call you that?”

“I never said you could stop, you idiot.” I clutch him harder, causing him to make a choked sound. “ _G_ _et off_ or I’ll shoot you in the foot.” I release him and sit back down to find Jin Ling looking at me.

“Well, congratulations Senior Wei on being reinstated. I would love to stay longer but I have plans that were made prior and would hate to be any later for them. Now if you’ll excuse me.” The more playful side of me begs me to ask him to call me jiujiu like Jiang Cheng. But I can already tell I am pushing it with the kindness the two of them are showing me. 

“Oh, yes! Of course, you are excused. See you soon.” He nods in response and gathers the weapons into what looks like the weapon equivalent of a canvas bag. He walks to the door, his ponytail swaying as he walks away. 

”Wei Ying.” Lan Zhan looks me in the eyes. ”Are you alright?”

”Oh! I'm fine. You know, I'm flooded with emotions I had repressed for like 16 years but it's whatever. Sincerely, I am alright.” 

”This is all very loving and touching, but I have some business to sort out with Wei Wuxian so Lan Wangji if you would please leave us two to talk.” 

Lan Zhan hesitates and then nods. ”Very well, I will take my leave. Wei Ying, I will see you soon. Jiang Wanyin.” He raises with quiet dignity and strides out of the office. As soon as the door closed behind him, the temperature of the room dropped like 7 degrees. I face Jiang Cheng, who has moved behind his desk and his aura transforms. Gone is the great Sandu Shengshou, Jiang Wanyin, who built his sect back up from the ashes with a commanding voice and the skills to match. Instead sits Jiang Cheng, A-Cheng, my exhausted little brother who had to grow up too soon and too fast with tear-filled eyes and blood-soaked hands. 

”You’re sure I'm not dreaming?” The hesitance in his voice makes my heart crack. 

”No, you're not. I'm here, in the flesh.” 

He sighs shakily, cradling his head in his hands. ”God, this is a mess. I thought when we would meet again, I thought that it would be you staring down the barrel of Sandu. But you’re here, standing in front of me once more, as an ally. It’s so…”

“Weird?”

“Nostalgic. You look the exact same as when you left. I wasn’t allowed access to your file no matter how hard I fought and… fuck. I didn’t even know if you were dead in a ditch somewhere. Why didn’t you call me, contact me somehow? Do you know what it felt like to wait for 16 years without a single word?”

“I didn’t exactly leave _by choice._ I was kind of _thrown_ out of the agency. I was living on the streets for at least two years so I’m sorry I didn’t send you a text. To be perfectly fair, the last thing you told me was that you never wanted to see me again and that I would be ripped apart by your guard dogs if I came near you.” 

“And you believed me? We grew up together, I’ve seen you shit yourself, fight bullies, break your own goddamn hand. And each and every time I chewed you out, you laughed it off and kept pushing. So why was that the only time you stopped?”

“OUR SISTER DIED.” I roar at him, breathing heavily. “I’m sorry that your petty _bullshit_ finally hurt me. But your “tough love” sounds awfully like pure hatred. And after all I did to this family, I wouldn’t be surprised.”

“That can’t be it. That can’t be the only reason you stayed away. Because I know you, and you would _never_ do something like that.”

“Well, I did. Maybe you didn’t know me as well as you thought.” He sends me an uninterested look. “Fine. Do you want to know? You remind me of her. You remind me of when Uncle Fengmian picked me up off of the streets. You remind me of every time Madame Yu scolded me. She would always get that stormy look in her eyes and the air would feel electric. You remind me of summers spent in swimming pools and eating sugary popsicles. When I look at you, I am reminded of the best years of my life and I fucking hate it. Because you also remind me of the worst time of my life. When I was all over the place and losing my mind. I was bloodthirsty and merciless. I had to bury our parents’ bodies in the ground. And I...I just couldn’t do it again with Jie. Because nothing would be the same after that. I didn’t want you _or_ Jin Ling to look at me and see the reason the two of you are orphans.”

“You didn’t know that we were going to do that. You had no guarantee.”

“I also had no guarantee that you _wouldn’t_ be like that. Jiang Cheng, I don't know what you want me to do. I've apologized, I did what you said and stayed away, but that isn't good enough for you. Should I grovel? Should I say that I was a complete and utter disgrace to this family and Madame Yu should have thrown me out on the street when she got the chance? How you didn't need me and neither did the agency? That I was-”

Jiang Cheng rushes forward, balling the neck of my shirt in his hands. ”Who the _fuck_ said I didn't need you? God, you’re such a fucking asshole. I'm not angry because I hate you. I'm pissed because you left me when I needed you most. Who gives a shit if the family name would have gotten tarnished? You and Jin Ling were the only family I had left. And you walked away. I know I acted like an asshole, I'm not excusing myself by saying I was grieving because you were too. I am sorry. But I would rather fucking die than let you leave again.” His voice grows softer as his grip loosens. ”Please. Don't leave again. I don't think I could take it.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) for character aesthetics!  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ”Shut up, you shithead.” His voice is very soft compared to his words. He picks at the seam of the cloth and grows bashful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hellooooooooo! i haven't posted in like two weeks, i think? sorry about that but once again school is being the worst. this chapter is super short but that's because I've hit like a slump and I'm just getting out of it. but! I've been writing while watching the unus annus stream which i WILL be watching for the next eight hours so that's gonna be fun. anywho, if you have anything to say about this story, please comment! I've created a spotify playlist that i listen to while writing so ill share that soon. stay happy, stay healthy, and stay safe!!! loooooooove you :D

His body racks with sobs as tears stream down his face. He slides down to the floor and I fall with him. He wraps his arms around me. I can't do anything but grip him and run my hand up and down his back. It goes on for longer than expected. Long enough for my legs to go numb and my back to crack slightly. Jiang Cheng’s sobs grow quieter and he stills. He separates from me and refuses to meet my eyes, only starting at a spot on my chest. I look down and there's a dark ring of wetness near my collarbone where he was resting. I look back up and his cheeks begin to match the blotchy red his eyes are. I dig out the handkerchief from my pocket and shove it into his hands.

“Wipe your face. This sort of behavior in public is disgraceful. I won’t have you represent our sect like that.” I do my best impression of him, scowl and all. His hands clutch it and his nostrils flare. ”Come on, Jiang Cheng. It's alright to cry. Even if you look like a big baby while doing it.” He shoves me, weaker than I know he could.

”Shut up, you shithead.” His voice is very soft compared to his words. He picks at the seam of the cloth and grows bashful.

I grip his shoulders and force him to look me in the eyes. ”A-Cheng, it’s fine. I'm not leaving. I’m back at the agency now so there's no way you're getting rid of me. I'm here to stay, now and forever. I swear on my heart.” I pour all my sincerity not only into my words but into my gaze so Jiang Cheng can understand. And even if he doesn't, I would rip out my heart on the spot if he told me to.

”Good. Because if you do, I'll rip your liver out with Zidian and feed it to Jin Ling’s dog and make you watch.”

”I wouldn't expect anything less.” We sit in a silence that verges on the edge between comfortable and awkward.

”So...how are you doing?”

"Really? After threatening me, yelling at me, crying on me, and then threatening me again, you ask me how I am? Why can’t we have a conversation like normal people?”

“What has made you think that we were ever normal?”

“Touche.”

“I have some whiskey stored under my desk. Now, do you want to continue sitting on the floor or do you want to have a drink like old times?” Jiang Cheng leans forward and offers a hand to me. I smile up at him, clenching his hand.

“You had me at whiskey, little brother!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) to learn about the vibesssss of all the characters and sects/branches.  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ”Everyone deserves to hear about how great she is! Look!” She pulls out her phone and pulls up a photo of Mianmian holdings small kitten, smiling. ”She adopted a cat for my birthday!! Even though she’s allergic. God, my girlfriend is wonderful.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woAH,,,,, it has been l i t e r a l l y forever since i put out a new chapter jdfljvn. i've been writing this chapter for the last like month it feels like, and now it's finally done. midterms are coming up for me so i can't guarantee a chapter again this week or next but break is also soon so more time to write!!! it's been a struggle trying to write with writer's block and other things happening in my life djfnl. but enough about me!!! i hope yall enjoy this chapter. if you have anything you wanna say at all, please comment!!! as always. stay safe, stay happy, and stay healthy!!!! loveeeeeee youuuuuuu
> 
> (p.s. i know this fic isn't super popular but if you ever wanna make things inspired or related to this p l e a s e let me know!! i would love to see it!)  
> (p.p.s who was gonna tell me i had lan wangji calling wei wuxian wei ying from the start????? i might have just said they were married and that's that)

I crack the door open and slip out, leaving a rosy-cheeked Jiang Cheng head down on his desk. I weave through hallways and pass doors until I make my way outside. The sun has already set and the sky has transitioned from burnt orange to a deep blue. The fresh air fills my lungs and clears the fuzziness caused by the whiskey to fade away. I pull a pack of cigarettes from my back pocket. I begin searching for a lighter when a hand with long, ruby fingernails provides one for me.

“It’s not very good to smoke. It’s bad for your lungs.”

I let the unlit cigarette dangle from my mouth as I speak. “And what? You’re here to tell me off about it?”

“No,” She speaks with a scoff, “I’m here to join you.” She pulls out a long Cruella Deville-like cigarette holder and lights it. She tosses the lighter to me. I light mine and we stand there, curls of smoke escaping our mouths as we look onto the horizon. ”I refuse to ask you how everything is because your eyes look red and you smell like whiskey so I can tell how it went. But! Because I am the cool older sister type, I won't mention it and allow you to pay for our food tonight. Sounds good?”

I couldn't say anything as she reaches the end and taps the ash from her holder. Wen Qing loops her arm with and drags me along with her, causing me to drop the cigarette and follow her lead.

“Come on! Wen Ning is waiting on us and we can’t have him waiting for long.” She takes me over to her absolute clunker of a car, it’s older than both me and Wen Qing combined. But god forbid anybody makes the mistake of saying something about it to her face. I climb into the backseat, with Wen Ning in the passenger seat.

“Alright, boys. Ready to head to Rafael’s?”

“Yeah, but Jie? Can we not drink that much tonight? I have a meeting in the morning and I don’t wanna be hungover for it? Wen Ning says sheepishly.

“Of course, baby brother. I’m a department head, I can’t drink my ass off anymore like the lazy degenerate in the backseat.” She turns the radio to drown out any (read: my) voice that had any objections and speeds off into the night.

We pull into Rafael’s, the car sputtering into a parking space before quieting once Wen Qing pulls out the key. I slam the car door. Jamming my hands into the pockets of my jeans, I walk in the middle of the Wen siblings as we enter the restaurant. The walls are a shiny walnut, the lights casting bright spotlights on them. The red fabric of the booths are torn but still smooth to the touch. We slide into a booth near the back door, the one we’ve been sitting in for longer than I can remember. I get into the middle with Wen Qing on the left and Wen Ning on the right.

“Hey, guys! How have you been?” A familiar face comes up and the three of us look up with smiles.

“Augustus! Man, long time no see!”

“Wuxian! I haven’t seen you for the longest. Where have you been?”

“Uh,” I rub the back of my neck, “I’ve been around. But how’s the business going? Looks busier than usual.”

“It’s been good! Lots of customers, but nobody can beat out the three of you. Wait, lemme guess what to get yall?” He took a good look at us.  “Emperor’s Smile with a burger and fries, Black Russian with a Margherita flatbread, and a Zombie and a turkey sandwich ?”

“Actually, can you give me a soda instead of a Zombie? I’m gonna be the designated driver for tonight.” Wen Ning says quietly. 

“You got it, man. I’ll bring those out real quick."

As Augustus brings out the food and drinks, time bleeds together as drink after drink gets thrown back. I throw an arm over a rosy-cheeked Wen Qing and almost spilling the drink I’m holding in one hand.

“SO! How’s Mianmian? Still as nice and as pretty as last time?” Wen Qing mumbles something in response. “What was that? I didn’t hear what you said.”

“I LOVE MIANMIAN SO MUCH. UGH, SHE’S SO PRETTY AND SOFT AND LOVELY AND WONDERFUL!” She screams at the top of her lungs, scaring Wen Ning and other customers. Then, she begins sobbing.

Wen Ning begins to look around frantically. “Jie, please quiet down. We’re in public.”

”Everyone deserves to hear about how great she is! Look!” She pulls out her phone and pulls up a photo of Mianmian holdings small kitten, smiling. ”She adopted a cat for my birthday!! Even though she’s allergic. God, my girlfriend is wonderful.”

”Yes, Jie. Your girlfriend is wonderful, but can you please talk in a quieter voice? We might be asked to leave”

Shakily, I raise my glass and say, ”To Mianmian!” Wen Qing and I continue to drink until we can't feel our kidneys. Web Ning only stares at us, making sure we don't cause too much trouble. As we stumble out of the bar and into the car, Wen Ning stares out the driver’s seat window. I tap him on his shoulder.

”You okay? You’ve been kind of out of it all night. Something bothering you?”

He turns to look at me. ”It’s been a long time since I've spent time with both you and Jie. We both work late so the only way we get to hang out is at work. And with you now working at the agency, ge, we’re gonna be able to hang out like this more. I love you guys.” He grins widely and his eyes sparkle like stars.

Wen Qing leans forward from the backseat and looks at him with glassy eyes. ”I love you too, didi. I can still tell I'm drunk off my ass right now, but this was a lot of fun. Thank you, the two of you."

I ruffle his hair and plop myself back into my seat. ”You’re a good friend. And a good brother. Now, let’s get your sister home.” He turns the key and steers the car out of the parking lot. After riding with the windows, we arrived at my place. I get out and slam the car door, hearing Wen Qing groan afterward.

“Ge, are you sure you don’t want me to walk you up? It isn’t any trouble.”

I wave him off. “It’s fine, Wen Ning. Go home, I don’t wanna keep you or Wen Qing out any longer.” He looks reluctant, so I lean forward through the passenger window with a smile. “Drive safe, okay? I’ll see you tomorrow at work!”

I watch the car disappear down the street before I walk up the stairs to my apartment. I scrounge around for my keys. I unlock the door and immediately trip over the clothes I had worn at the agency. I toss them into a corner along with the clothes I’m wearing and make my way to the bathroom. I turn on the shower and stand in the hot stream of water. The steam sobers me up a little as I run my hands through my hair. I’m exhausted but in a good way. I stay there until my legs grow tired and my fingers start wrinkling. I towel myself off and walk into my room, grabbing random clothes from my dresser. All I remember is climbing into my bed and hooking my phone up to the charger before I passed out.

I open my eyes and feel worse than death. Peeling my face off of my pillow, I grimace at the drying stain of saliva on my pillow. I  blindly reach out until my hand touches the frames of my glasses and place them onto my face. I look towards the noise that woke me up, my phone buzzing every two seconds on the windowsill. I have half a mind to crack open the window and throw it out. I grab it and flop back onto my bed. The screen turns on and I have hundreds of notifications.  Some from my text messages with the most recent one from Wen Qing saying holy shit dude, you are so fucked when you wake up. I’m not surprised by a message like this from Wen Qing. She's probably complaining about how shitfaced she got yesterday.

I stumble to the bathroom, swaying and head pounding. I lean against the mirror above the sink, the cooling glass feeling good on my skin. Fuck. I need to stop drinking so much in one day. My head is pounding. I’m brushing my teeth when I hear a knock at the door. I walk heavily across the floor, forgetting about my neighbors below me. I swing the door open.

”Lan Zhan???”

”Good morning, Wei Ying.” Holy shit, Wen Qing was right. I am so _fucked._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) for character info  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He holds eye contact with me, and his gaze is burning. But the weight of his hand is comfortable like it was always meant to be there. His touch lingers on for a few seconds until he lets go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> o k a y so it's,,,,,been a while. i WAS gonna take a break for the holidays but my life was kinda all over that i both had writer's block AND no time to write but I'm back now!!!!! i also had to re-format everything because it looked really off?? i apologize, it had looked fine when i had uploaded it.  
> literally the only thing that inspired me to write was a wangxian edit and it brought back the brainrot lfvnslkf. i have a tonnnnnn of ideas to write now but i really wanna finish this story and focus on it because it's almost been a year in the works fsjlsjkfd. but enough of that! i truly, truly hope that you enjoy this chapter. this one and the next one are almost "fanservice-y" but it was well worth it. if you have anything to say, please comment whether it's happy or negative lol. as always, stay happy, healthy, and stay safe!!! i loveeeeeeee youuuuuuuu

“Uh, Lan Zhan, what are you doing here?”

“Last night, you said you wanted to have breakfast with me. So I brought some food with me.” He holds up a tray of coffee and a paper bag. ”If it’s not a good time, I can leave-”

”NO! I mean, no you're totally fine. Give me a second to clean up.” I slammed the door before he could say anything and survey my apartment. I start running around like a headless chicken. I pick up clothes to throw into my bedroom, and plates with dirty utensils in the sink. After about three minutes of frantic sprinting, I open the door breathing heavily. ”Alright. Um, come in, Lan Zhan.”

He strides in, and the sight of him is jarring.  Lan Wangji, with his pristine white clothing and immaculate hair, is standing in the hallway of my dingy apartment. He takes off his shoes and slips on the only house shoes out at the moment, white bunny slippers. I can't help but laugh, and he looks up at me.

”Oh! Don't mind me. You  just  look very…”

”Very?”

”Cute. Those slippers match your clothes.”

“Do not flatter.” He pauses for a second. “Wei Ying, you wear glasses.”

“Oh! I usually wear them at home. Now, come on! Let’s see what you’ve brought me today!” I bring him over to the coffee table in the living room. I walk into the kitchen to assemble a plate of fruit for Lan Zhan and set it down on the table between us. While sitting cross-legged on the floor, Lan Zhan hands me the paper bag and I rifle through it. I bring out little plastic containers with plastic cutlery.

“Ooh, Lan Zhan. Congee and crullers? I didn't take you for a sweets guy?”

“I was going to get the congee but I thought it would go better with something sweet.”

“Thank you. Wait, give me a second.” I rush into the kitchen, searching for a small bottle, and walking back once I find it. “There we go. Nothing says a nice bowl of congee like chili powder, right?”

“Mn.” I start shaking some onto my food, and I look up to see him staring at me.

“Is something wrong?”

“I don't understand how you can eat that?”

An idea pops into my head. “Here, Lan Zhan. Try it.” I offer my spoon to him and he shakes his head.

“No thank you, I don't like spicy food.”

“Well, have you ever tried it?” He shakes his head and I cut him off before he can speak. “Well, you can’t say you don't like something if you've never tried it.” I extend my arm until the spoon is right in front of his face. He looks at it for a couple of seconds, as if weighing his options. Then he leans forward and eats the congee, chili powder and all.

I snort. “Wow, Lan Zhan. I didn't think you would eat it! How does it taste? Amazing, wonderful, knock your socks off delicious?”

“Fine.” I tried to get him to say more, but he turned back to his food. I take a sip of my coffee and see something interesting, Lan Zhan’s ears becoming a fiery red. I smirk to myself.

We continued the rest of our meal until there was nothing but empty bowls and crumbs leftover. He helps me throw them away and we stand in my kitchen for a bit.

“Thank you again for coming over. I appreciate it.”

He bows his head in response. “It was my pleasure. Also, your apartment is on the way to the agency so it wasn’t too out of my way.”

Suddenly, a loud boom echoed throughout the apartment and the ground shook a little. Lan Zhan and I looked at each other. I threw back the curtains for the window above the sink and stared at the outside in horror.  It had started raining so hard, all you could see was the gray-blue color of the sky and less than three feet in front of the window.

“Oh my God. Was it even supposed to rain today?”

“They said a light shower, but I suppose they were wrong.”

“You suppose?” I begin fretting. “Oh no, you don’t have an umbrella. Your clothes will get wet, what are you gonna do?” I escape into my bedroom, feeling the floor with my foot until it hits the pointy end. I grab it, walking back to Lan Zhan, and hand it to him. “Here, you can use this. It’s been collecting dust but at least you’ll be able to use it. Give me a minute to get dressed and I’ll walk you outside.”

“Why don’t go together? I can’t take your only umbrella from you. I have another one in my car.”

“Oh!! It’s fine, the bus stop isn’t too far so I’ll be fine.”

His face turns determined. “I can’t let you take the bus to the agency when I can give you a ride. Perform acts of chivalry.”

“Don’t act  impulsively .”

“Make sure to act  virtuously .”

“Do not take your own words  lightly .”

“Do not say one thing and mean another. Wei Ying, please.”

He holds eye contact with me, and his gaze is burning. But the weight of his hand is comfortable like it was always meant to be there. His touch lingers on for a few seconds until he lets go.

“Fine, Lan Wangji. I’ll come with you. Let me get dressed first.” I all but run into my bedroom and lock the door.

I exhale shakily. Okay, okay. This is perfectly fine.  You know, it’s not just like the guy I've been pining over for an ungodly amount of time came over because I drunk texted him that I wanted to have breakfast with him and he actually did it. Now, it’s pouring cats and dogs outside and he’s refusing to let me go without driving me in his stupid expensive car. I haven’t seen this man in a decade and a half until like two days ago. And he ….comes into my life as if it’s nothing and steals my heart once more as if it wasn’t already his. My breaths come out in short puffs as I pull on whatever clothes I can find.

Why is he doing this? He’s not obligated to do this. He’s already brought me back and it’s not like I’m in his sect. And to say we were friends when we were younger is pushing it because I even knew how annoying I was and still pushed. I followed him like a little duck, hoping to get some reaction from him. So, there’s no reason for any of this. As I stand looking in the mirror, I find my answer. I had already let go of him once, and now that he's back in my life, I can’t let him leave. I fix the hoodie I’m wearing and step out of the room. He’s standing near the door, shoes already back on and the tip of the umbrella resting on the floor in front of him.

“Are you ready?”

I grab a dark coat from the rack and shrug it on.“As I’ll ever be.” To that, Lan Zhan opens the door and umbrella and we step outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i realllllllly wanted to type wei wuxian's messages to lan wangji but they didn't fit anywhere ;-; hopefully i can fit them somewhere dlkvsdvn 
> 
> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) for character info  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Oh, you had breakfast with Hanguangjun. Mr. I Don’t Even Eat With My Brother If I Feel Uncomfortable, Hanguangjun. Amazing, Wei Wuxian. Your talent amazes me. How did you even get him to eat at a restaurant with you? Knowing you, you’d drag him to a sketchy place.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hellooooooo, beautiful people!! i hope yall have been doing well. ive been a little stressed because im currently doing a LOT of stuff and that cuts down my time to write lol but dw! im giving wangxian the time they deserve. i have a lot of ideas i want to write for this stor bc i have wayyyyy too much love for this couple, i might actually create a universe for it! i dont know if itll be a good idea but i think im gonna try. also so sorry if this is too dialogue heavy, that was how i tried to express it best lolol anywhooooo i hope yall stay happy, healthy, and safe!!! love youuuuuuuuuuuuuu :D

I curse the size of this umbrella. As we walked to Lan Zhan’s car, we tried to fit ourselves under but our sides kept sticking out and rain-drenched.  If it was any other time, I would have reveled in the proximity between us but the rain bounces  painfully  off my coat and skin . I slide into the passenger seat of his car. We closed the doors and I let out a sigh of relief.

“God, Lan Zhan. Thank god you’re not some douche with a roofless car, we would be  totally  screwed.”

“The roof of this car retracts.” With that, he backs out of the parking lot and speeds down the road.

“Oh! I’m not saying that you’re a douchebag! I’m saying that the majority of people...that own these types of cars...are douchebags.” I grow quieter nearing the end of my sentence.

“Mn.” We continue the car ride in silence. I stare at the window as Lan Zhan drives. No humming, no tapping of the thumbs, not even a change in breathing pattern. I sneak glances towards him but he remains unbothered. I give up with a sigh and blow some hair out of my face. I pull my hair back and reach for a hair-tie, but I didn’t feel one. I check all my pockets and pants but slump back into my chair.

“You can grab one from the console. There should be one in there.” I follow his instructions, and there was actually a pack of hair ties.

“Why do you have these in your car?”

“Gym. It’s hard to work out with my hair in my face.” I hum in response. As I pull my hair back, I try and push any thoughts of Lan Zhan working out from my head. Definitely not thinking about Lan Wangji with sweat dripping down his forehead.

He parks in a spot right in front of the entrance of the agency. I hand Lan Zhan the umbrella.

“Here, take this. You’re gonna need it more than I will.”

“Why don’t we use it together?”

“It’s fine! Plus, it’s not a far walk to the doors.” We hold eye contact until it’s broken by a knock on the window.

“SO sorry to interrupt such a sweet moment, but I need to steal Wei Wuxian from you Hanguangjun. Is that alright with you? It is? Wonderful, see you in the meeting later!” He bulldozes through the conversation and opens the door to pull me out of the car. I try to say something to Lan Zhan but Huaisang shushes me.

“Stay quiet and walk  quickly  .” We crowd under the umbrella and  practically  run all the way inside the building. I pant as I watch Huaisang shake the water off the forest green umbrella.

“So, you were looking pretty comfy with Hanguangjun huh?”

“I’m always looking comfy with him, we’re friends.”

“Ah, that cursed word: friends. Oh, how I hate it so. Causes misunderstandings, heartbreak, unfortunate and unnecessary platonicness. Disgusting.”

“Are you….feeling alright? You’re not hungover or anything? Because last time I talked to you, you were normal.”

“No, I’m fine. And funny you’re asking me if I’m hungover. I saw Wen Qing’s posts, looks like you had a very fun night.”

“You could definitely say that.”

He links arms with me. “Come on, let’s grab something to eat because I’m starving and Zonghui would kill me if he knew.”

“Oh! I’m good. I ate breakfast with Lan Zhan-” I stop mid-sentence as he smirks at me.

“Oh, you had breakfast with Hanguangjun. Mr. I Don’t Even Eat With My Brother If  I Feel  Uncomfortable, Hanguangjun. Amazing, Wei Wuxian. Your talent amazes me. How did you even get him to eat at a restaurant with you? Knowing you, you’d drag him to a sketchy place.”

“It’s not a talent, we’re  just  friends. And hey, have a little faith in me. I would take Lan Zhan to a great place. But no, he brought it to me and we ate it in my apartment.”

“Okay, as much as I LOVE hearing about this, I will actually faint if I don’t get a bagel in my stomach at this very moment. Let’s go!”

~

“So you mean to tell me, you drunk texted Hanguangjun to eat breakfast with you, passed out, woke up to him with actual food with the full intent of eating with you, had breakfast, would not let you take the bus while it’s raining, drove you here, and was about to argue with you  just  to walk you to the doors? That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Mhm, imagine having to live through it.”

“So what are you gonna do?”

“Ignore it until it becomes a larger problem and explodes in my face?”

He raises an eyebrow over his cup. “Sounds unhealthy. Are you sure you wanna do that? Wouldn’t it better to confront him and ask him what’s his deal?”

“And you’re an angel who deals with all his problems upfront.”

“Touché.”

“So, there’s a meeting later? What is it about?”

“Ignoring the obvious segue, I can't tell you yet. I need to brief everyone at the same time.”

“Come onnnn. I'm your best friend for the last like 20 something years of our lives. You can't tell me this one thing?”

He rests his head on his palm and flutters his eyelashes at me. “I’ll tell you about the meeting if you tell me about your amazing morning with Hanguangjun.”

My phone buzzes in my pocket. “Oh wow! Would you look at that? Jiang Cheng is calling me!  Probably  about very important Jiang Sect business. You know how it is.”

“You didn’t even check your phone.”

“So sorry I have to leave so  abruptly . See ya in the meeting.” I dash to the nearest elevator and jam the buttons until it closes. Once it does, I lean against the wall and take deep breaths. Fuck. Can things get any worse from here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pinterest](https://pin.it/5nxhNf4) for character info  
> [google doc](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-KnJL6vMRgHLr0eQvvWFxpj_vxMoCU7Z8Pyu22qgJy8/edit?usp=sharing) for basic information about branches/characters/weapons.  
> [spotify](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0XnYsLfaWWYgBXqT5AJM3Z?si=-GZEaSvtSjWKM4SGZ7Scwg) to listen to while reading and kinda character aesthetic  
> catch me on [tumblr](https://childofhelios.tumblr.com/)


End file.
